Live Video Wine & Cheese Tasting: Chat, Laugh, Sip, Savour

We did it, and we had so much fun last night! Despite a few technical hiccups, we were able to record Canada’s first ever Live Video Wine Tasting on Google +.

We paired our wines with some delicious Canadian cheeses. The conversation was terrific … you can also see the Twitter tasting that led up to this where we trended #1 worldwide on conversational topics. We’ll be back soon with our next tasting, please join us!

Founded in 1977 by 14 dairy farmers, only 5 remain and are part of the cooperative that provides the milk for the Fromagerie de l’Île-aux-Grues cheddars. Using thermalized milk this one year old is firm in texture and is developing a characteristic nutty taste associated with cheddar.

Originally Cheddar was made in wheel shapes wrapped in cheesecloth. Armand Bernard is reviving this tradition, following the style of great English farmstead Cheddars. Made from raw Holstein cow milk which is then thermalized, and aged for a minimum of 14 months in carefully monitored temperature and humidity conditions. The aroma and flavour is uniquely PEI, reminiscent fresh unwashed potatoes, grassy yet both sweet and tangy on the finish. Winner, Aged Cheddar (1-3 years) category, 2011 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix.

Their matured cheddars are gently bathed in the cool smoke from smoldering pure maple wood. The result is a full, smoky flavour that complements the complex, nutty taste of this aged cheese. Add it to an omelet for a smoky breakfast alternative.

This is a rich, full-flavored cheese with the character and complexity of French farmstead Brie. Albert the cheese maker brings classic French flavors to Ontario in the form of this bold little cheese. It’s a cheese with as much character as its maker. Cheesemaker story video.

Handcrafted from the milk of a single herd of Guernsey cows pastured in Niagara, then hand washed and turned regularly during ripening to create the aromatic golden washed rind and complex sweet, grassy to fruity flavours that become more pronounced with age. Cheesemaker story video.

Simon-Pierre Bolduc has created another masterpiece, named after the family’s great grandfather. This firm, washed rind cheese is made from the raw organic milk of the family’s purebred Holsteins. Carefully aged for 6 to 8 months on wood boards. The yellowish-orange rind produces a pleasant woodsy aroma with a nutty and floral taste profile. Cheesemaker story video.

Join us for a live Google + Video Canadian Cheese & Wine tasting tonight at 8 pm! When you go to my Google + page, you’ll see the screen shot above. If you get there early and don’t see it, refresh your browser page every few minutes so that it pops up when we start broadcasting live.

To refresh your browser page, click on the little incomplete circle with an arrow on one end icon on your browser or the Ctrl and F5 buttons at the same time. When you see the Hangouts Box, click on the arrow and you’ll see and hear the video tasting happening live. Have a glass of wine and cheese with us.

Please let others know about this tasting on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google + and by good old fashioned e-mail. The more, the merrier!

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BIOGRAPHY

Natalie MacLean

Canada's Most Quoted Wine Writer

Natalie MacLean is editor of Canada's largest wine review web site, publishing hundreds of wine reviews every week for more than 160,000 members. She was named the World's Best Drinks Writer the World Food Media Awards in Australia.

Natalie has published two books with Random House, the second was named one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year. Get access to all of her reviews today by becoming a member of her site.